What non-food related resources were helpful to you when you first went vegan? The phrase "veganism is a lifestyle, not a diet" gets thrown around a lot. What helped you with the lifestyle bits? And what are those bits?

I read Vegan Freak when I went vegan, and that gave me the strength to empty my flat of all non-vegan items. It was easier to just make a fresh start than to feel constantly guilty whenever I spotted my old woollen scarf hanging off the coat rack, and also helped in those situations when people have tried to pick holes in me for being vegan but still wearing or using something non-vegan, which happened a lot a few years ago when I was a vegetarian but wore old leather army boots. I took all my non-vegan bits and bobs down to the local animal rescue charity shop and felt loads better!

One thing I do struggle with sometimes is a desire to go to the zoo. I'm a total animal lover and have been since I was a kid, and when I was little I loved going to the zoo to see all the animals. However, once I got old enough as a teenager to realise the reality of what zoos are for the animals themselves, I stopped going, but it still has that childhood reminiscence thing.

_________________"Your mother was a superstitious hamster, and your father smelled of elderberry (right before he died of an untreated infection). Now go away, before we taunt you with your credulous magical thinking a second time!" - Desdemona

I think having things accessible helps. Zappos lists their vegan shoes, we have access to a local online vegan store so we can browse, there are a few vegan vitamin companies, etc. I don't think it has been really too hard in terms of finding alternatives other than sometimes companies will try to sneak a little wool or silk into sweaters and I tried to find my husband vegan work shoes that weren't a vegan brand. In the end we went with vegetarian shoes because it was the only option for the style he wanted. We also didn't get rid of everything non-vegan, like my husband hadn't bought new work shoes in over 5 years (time we've been vegan) and his leather ones just started falling apart recently which is why he got a new pair.

I won't pretend to be the best lifestyle vegan but I try. I know many others don't go to zoos but I still do, at least in this country. I think zoos have done a lot with animal conservation, preservation and even notice an angle on recycling and reuse. I say this country because even before I was vegan, we were in China and our tour guide kept pushing some Panda zoo but the whole thing sounded wrong. And I'm sure there are other ways I can improve but I think about the things I do and buy and try to make the best choices. It isn't always easy in this world.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.